Ladle valve



Sept. 2, 396g w. J. cuRRY, JR

LADLE VALVE Filed April 26, 1968 States 3,464,598 LADLE VALVE William J.Curry, Jr., East Liverpool, Ohio, assignor to Globe Refractories, Inc.,Newell, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser.No. 724,486 Int. Cl. B65d 47/00; B67d 3/02 U.S. Cl. 222-559 10 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is an object of this invention to providea relatively inexpensive ladle valve stopper which has a much longerlife than those know heretofore. Another object is to provide arelatively inexpensive ladle valve nozzle block which has a much greaterresistance to erosion from molten metal than known 'blocks, and which isa poor heat conductor.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary Vertical sectionthrough my ladle valve;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the stopper plug.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings, a ladle 1 of any suitableconstruction is provided in its bottom with an outlet opening 2. Thebottom of the ladle is lined with a refractory fioor including a firedclay block 3 above the outlet opening. This block, known as a nozzleblock, has a concave recess in its top, from the center of which aVertical opening extends down through the block. Fitting in this openingis a refractory nozzle 4 that has a Vertical passage 5 extending throughit. The upper end of the passage is flared to provide an inclinedannular seat 6 adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a verticallymovable stopper 7. The block and nozzle and stopper form a valve thatcontrols the ladle outlet.

The stopper includes a plug or body 10 made of a suitable refractorythat has been pressed and fired, such as a high grade clay or otherhigh-refractory material. The upper part of the stopper body isgenerally cylindrical, while the lower part tapers downwardly. The plugis provided with a downwardly extending socket 11, in which the lowerend of a heavy metal rod 12 is removably mounted in any suitable manner.The rod can be raised and lowered in a known manner to raise and lowerthe plug. The rod above the plug is protected from the surroundingmolten metal in the ladle by refractory sleeves 13 encircling the rodand projecting outwardly from the top of the plug.

It is a feature of this invention that the life of the stopper isincreased materially by covering the body of the plug with aheat-consolidated layer of zircon, zirconia or high alumina. The layerof erosion resistant material generally will be from 1A to 3A: of aninch thick. It can be formed by grinding the material, adding a suitablebinder, casting or pressing it into the shape of a cup-like shell 15 andthen firing it at about 3100 F. to 3200 F. The rigid shell is the sameShape as the stopper plug and is a size that will fit snugly around theplug and thereby cover it. The shell atent O 3,44,598 Patented Sept. Z,1969 ice may be secured to the plug by providing the upper part of theshell with one or more circumferential grooves '16 in its inner surface,and forming registering grooves 17 in the encircled plug. Each pair ofregistering grooves is filled with a suitable high temperature cementthat forms a solid ring 18 and thereby locks the preformed rigid shellon the plug.

It has been found that such a layer is highly resistant to erosion frommolten metal while the valve is open and the metal is pouring out of theladle through the nozzle. By making the plug itself of inexpensive clay,while only the shell is formed of expensive material, the advantage ofan erosion resistant stopper is obtained at a relatively low cost.Furthermore, the clay body is a much poorer conductor of heat than theshell, so the lower end of the metal rod is protected from the intenseheat of the surrounding molten metal much better than if the entirestopper were made of the shell material.

Since the nozzle block 3 also is subject to erosion in its concaverecess, it is desirable to line that recess with an erosion resistantmaterial like that used to cover the stopper plug. The layer 20 ofmaterial used to cover the concave recess may be any desired thickness,such as from 1A to 11/2 inches thick. It is preformed in the same way asthe stopper shell, except that it has a different Shape, and then isplaced in the block recess. This preformed member is concavo-convex tofit in the block recess, and is provided with a central opening 21registering with the block opening around the nozzle. To prevent theliner member from floating up out of the block recess, it is desirableto provide their adjoining surfaces with registering undercut grooves 22and 23 that are filled with a ring 24 of high temperature cement lockingthe two parts together.

Liner member 20 greately increases the life of the nozzle block withoutraising its cost too much, because most of the block can still be madeof a high grade clay that is much cheaper. Also, by avoiding a solidblock of the erosion resistant material, the block remains a poor heatconductor so that the molten metal directly above the block is notchilled, which would create pouring problems.

By protecting with zircon, zirconia or high alumina the two parts of theladle valve t-hat are most subject to erosion, the life of the valve canbe increased materially so that replacements are required lessfrequently than at present. At the same time, the thermal conductivityof those parts is not increased materially, and the Valve remainsreasonable in cost.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and have illustrated and described what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have itunderstood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A ladle valve comprising a fired clay block having a concave recessin its top and a Vertical opening extending down through the block fromthe bottom of the recess, an erosion resistant layer of material fromthe group consisting of zircon and zirconia and high alumina lining saidrecess around said opening, a refractory nozzle fitting in said openingand having a Vertical passage therethrough with a seat at its upper end,and a vertically movable stopper normally engaging said seat for closingthe upper end of said passage, the stopper having a plug-like fired claybody covered with an erosion resistant layer of material from the groupconsisting of zircon and zorconia and high alumina.

2. A ladle valve according to claim 1, in which said last-mentionederosion resistant layer is a preformed rigid shell, and means areprovided for securing the shell to said stopper body.

` 3. A ladle valve according to claim 1, in which said last-mentionederosion resistant layer is a preformed cuplike shell provided near itsopen top with a circumferential groove in its inner surface, and saidbody is provided with a circumferential groove regstering with saidshcll groove, said stopper including a ring of cement filling saidgrooves to lock the shell and clay body together.

4. A ladle Valve according to claim 1, in which said recess lining is aperformed concavo-convex member fitting in said recess and provided witha central opening registering with said block opening, and means isprovided for securing said member to the block.

5. A ladle valve according to claim 1, in which said recess lining is apreformed concavo-convex member fitting in said recess and -providedwith a cenrtal opening registering with said block opening, said stopperlayer is a preformed cup-like Shell provided near its open top with acircu'mferential groove in its inner surface, and said stopper body isprovided With a circumferential groove registering with said shellgroove, said stopper including a ring of cement filling said grooves tolock the shell and clay body together.

6. A ladle valve stopper comprising a plug-like fired clay body coveredWith an erosion resistant layer of material from the group consisting ofzircon, zirconia and high alumina.

7. A ladle valve stopper according to claim 6, in which said erosionresistant layer is a preformed rigid shell, and means are provided forsecuring the shell to said body.

8. A ladle valve stopper according to claim 6, in which said erosionresistant layer is a preformed heat-consolidated cup-like shell providednear its open top with a circumferential groove in its inner surface,and said body is provided with a circumferential groove registering withsaid shell groove, said stopper including a ring of cement filling saidgrooves to lock the shell and clay body together.

9. A ladle valve nozzle block comprising a fired clay block providedWith a concave recess in its top and a vertical opening extending downthrough the block from the bottom of the recess, and an erosionresistant layer of material lining said recess around said opening, saidmaterial being from the group consisting of zircon, zirconia and highalumina.

10. A ladle valve nozzle block according to claim 9, in which the wallof said recess is provided With an undercut annular groove, and thebottom of said lining layer is provided with an undercut circumferentialgroove registering with said recess groove, said nozzle 'block includinga ring of cement filling said grooves to lock the lining layer and clayblock together.

References Citcd UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,ll3,894 4/1938 Lucier 222-510 X3,192,582 7/1965 Cope et al 222-559 'ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary ExaminerH. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

